LOVE vs FOOD

Falling out of love with traditional Valentine’s Day rituals? You’re not alone! So why is February 14th still considered one of the key trading periods for retailers? And the stats don’t lie. Even though the level of market growth around the nation’s favourite day of love is slowing down, the Valentine’s Day market in the UK is still worth over £1.1bn!

So whereas we are becoming less inclined to spend on cards, eating out and expensive gifts, we are actually investing more in at-home dining, quirky love themed products, and ways to show love to those in our lives beyond the other half!

And food seems to be the winner in 2019, with the Marks & Spencer ‘Love Sausage’ proving to be the standout consumer conversation favourite. Described by the retailer as being the “ultimate meaty delight for Valentine’s breakfast in bed”, the internet reacted to the supermarket’s reveal with hilarity, with many pointing out the evident sexual connotations of the meaty product. Highlighted further with the use of the #lovesausage hashtag on social media…

I was scared to look… But actually, it’s full of pictures of consumers who have either purchased the product on the back of the hype, or those recreating their own at-home versions. Either way, it’s safe to say that Marks & Spencer will no doubt sell out the 15,000 units produced ahead of Valentine’s Day this week. And their marketing department will be very happy indeed.

And social conversation tracking shows we do absolutely still love Valentine’s Day, as the word “love” is the most frequently used keyword alongside Valentine’s. Used in various contexts that we all can relate to, single or not, from expressing feelings towards someone, spreading the love and celebrating the idea of it. And sausage love, of course…

So as much as we may be falling out of love with all the overpriced rituals we’ve grown to associate traditionally with Valentine’s Day, it seems we’re totally falling in love with a new wave of deliciously hearty commercialism!